Washing-machine.



R. E. L. JOHNSTON.

WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 111112.23, 1906.

Patented Jan; 12,1909.

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R. E. L. JOHNSTON.

WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION PILBDMAR. 2a, 1906.

Patented Jan. 12, 1909.

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R. E. L. JOHNSTON.

WASHING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 23, 1906.

909,803 Y Patented Jan. 12, 1909.

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ROBERT E. L. JOHNSTON, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

WASHING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Yatented Jan. 12, 1909.

Application filed March 23, 1906. Serial No. 307,604.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT E. L. JOHN- s'rox, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in \Vashing- Machines;and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, andto the letters and figures of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in washing machines, my objectbeing to provide a device of this character which shall be comparativelysimple in construction, economical in cost, reliable, durable andeflicient in use, and to these ends the invention consists of thefeatures, arrangements and combinations hereinafter described andclaimed, all of which will be fully understood by reference to theaccompanying drawing in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In this drawing, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved machine.Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the apparatus. Fig. 3 is a detail view ofthe lower part of the apparatus shown partly in section. Fig. 4 is asimilar view, the parts being shown in different relative position. Fig.5 is an underneath view of the cover and the suction cups which act uponthe clothes during the washing operation. Fig. 6 is a sectional view indetail of the washing device shown in connection with the cover of thetub. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the machine showing the lid in theraised or open position.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views;

Let the numeral 5 designate a stationary frame work having a bottommember 6 and an upright member 7. The tub or receptacle 8 is mounted tohave a vertical movement, and to this end the central portion of itsbottom is provided with a vertical shaft 9 extending downwardly throughan opening formed in the frame member 6. To the top and bottom of theframe member 6 are applied plates 10 and 12 respectively. These platesare connected by vertical bolts 13. Between the plates and the member 6'sist of wood or other suitable material.

are located partsl land 15 which may colu- T ie plate 10 is providedwith a central collar 16 which enters an opening formed in the part 14.The plate 12 is provided with a collar 17 having ratchet teeth 18 formedon its upper face and adapted to engage teeth 19 formed on the lowerextremity of a loose sleeve 20 which surrounds the shaft 9. This sleeve20 has a slot 21 inclined to the vertical. A pin 22 fast on the shaft 9projects through the slot 21 for a purpose hereinafter explained. Asshown in the drawing the upper extremity of the shaft 9 is screwed intoa socket formed in aplate 28 made fast to the bottom of the tub by bolts2%.

Within the tub 8 are located two coneshaped devices 24 connected by abar 25 to the center of which is applied an upwardly projecting rod 26pivotally connected as shown at 27 with an operating lever 28, thelatter being fulcrumed at 29 on the upright member 7 of the frame work.To the short arm 28 of the lever 28 is secured an eyebolt 30 held inplace by a thumb nut 31. To this eyebolt is attached the upper extremityof a chain or other suitable flexible device 32. The lower extremity ofthis chain is connected with an eyebolt 33 attached to one extremity ofa lever 34: Whose opposite extremity is connected with the stationaryframe work below the frame member 6 by a fulcrum pin 35. The shaft 9normally or when the tub is in its lowermost position, protrudes beyondthe member 6. The lower extremity of this shaft engages the lever 34which lever acts on the shaft to raise the tub when the long arm 28 ofthe operating lever is moved downwardly.

The tub 8 is provided with a cover 36 whose outer edge engages a ledgeformed on the inner surface of the tub a short distance below the top ofthe latter. The central portion of the cover is provided with a centralopening from which passes the rod 26. This rod protrudes above the coverand is connected with the long arm of the lever 28 as heretoforeexplained.

The frame work is provided with tub-supporting members 37 located onopposite sides of the plate 10.

From the foregoing description the use and operation of my improvedWashing machine will be readily understood.

The clothes are placed within the tub together with a suitable quantityof hot water shown in Fig. l.

containing the necessary soap in solution.

After this is done it may be assumed that the tub and the levers occupythe position The long arm 28 of the lever is then forced downwardlywhereby a the suction devices 24 are forced downwardly At the same timethe against the clothes. lever 34 acts on the lower extremity of theshaft 9 to raise the tub 8. As the tub moves upwardly, the pin 22 actingon the upper edge of the inclined. slot 21 0f the sleeve 20,

causes the sleeve to rotate. .Now as the lever is moved in the oppositedirection, the tub moves downwardly by gravity, while the suctiondevices 2- act on the clothes to cause the cleansing water to passtherethrough since there is a certain amount of suction induced as thewater which has entered these cups attempts to leave them as the leverarm 28 moves upwardly. During the downward peated every time the longarm of the operating'lever is raised. It will be observed that duringthe downward movement of the long armof the lever and the upwardmovement of the tub as heretofore explained, the clothes within the tubare acted on by the two elements moving in opposite directions, onebeing the downwardly moving devices 2% and the other the upwardly movingtub.

As the tub makes a partial rotary movement during each upward movementof the long arm of the operating lever, the washing devices 21- are madeto act on ditferent portions of the articles to be cleansed. Thisgreatly increases the efficiency of the machine.

During the time of putting'the clothes and water into the tub, the lever28 is thrown upwardly to a vertical or approximately vertical position(see Fig.7) and the cover 36 is carried over to a corresponding positionand bears against a projection 28 with which the lever 28 is provided.This part 28 holds thecover in such position that it will drain into thetub, assuming that the inner surface of the cover containsa'considerable quantity of moisture at the time the lever and cover areraised to the aforesaid position. I

The short arm of the lever 28 is provided with an opening A whichregisters with an opening B in the upright frame member -7, when thelever 28 is raised to the vertical position. By inserting a pin Dinthese registering openings the lever and its attachments may beretained in the raised position.

-An important feature of applicants de vice consists in the fact thatthe only power exerted during the operation of the machine is thatrequirecl in forcing the long lever arm 28 downwardly. As soon as thismovement. is completed, and the lifting force ceases to be exerted, theweight of the tub acting on the lever '34 moves the latter downwardlyand throws the lever arm 28 upwardly, this action being entirelyautomatic. During this/action the tub and cupshaped washing devices aremoving in opposite di: rections and the suction resulting. from thisseparating movement of the two devices, is a powerful and exceedinglyefiicient agent in the performance of the clothes-cleansing function. H

Having thus described my invention, what 7 I claim is:

levers whereby during the, operation of the machine, the tub and thewashingdevices therein are moved vertically simultaneously in oppositedirections. 7

2. 'In a washing machine, the combination of a vertically reciprocatingtub, a vertically reciprocating washing device locatedwit hin the. tub,and suitable means for simultaneously imparting to the tub and washingdevice a vertically reciprocating movement in oppositedirections,substantially as described. a

3. In a washing machine, the combination with a suitable frame, a tubmounted to have a vertical movement thereon, a washing device locatedwithin the tub, an operating lever connected with the washing deviceabove thetub, a second lever connected with the frame below the tub, thelatter being provided with a depending shaft which the second leverengages, and a connection bea tween the two levers whereby as theoperating lever is actuated, the tub and the wash- 115 ing devicetherein, are moved verticall simultaneously in opposite directions.

'4. In a washing machine, the combination with a tub, a washing devicelocated therein,

and operating means for imparting a verti- 120 cal reciprocation to thetub and washing device simultaneously in opposite directions andimparting to the tub a rotary movement during one stroke of thereciprocation.

5. In a washing machine, the combination 125 with a frame work, of atub, a washing device located therein, a depending shaft connected withthe lower extremity of the tub, the said shaft being vertically movablein the frame work, a sleeve surrounding the 130 shaft and having aninclined slot therein, the shaft having a pin projecting through saidslot, the lower edge of the sleeve being provided With ratchet teeth, astationary ratchet collar mounted on the framework below the sleeve, andsuitable operating means for imparting to the tub and the Washing devicea reciprocating movement, the two instrumentalities being actuatedsimultaneously in opposite directions, the arrangement being such thatduring the downward movement of the tub, the ratchet teeth of the sleeveengage the ratchet teeth of the collar and lock the sleeve againstmovement whereby the pin of the tub-shaft is compelled 15 to follow theinclined slot of the sleeve and impart a partial rotary movement to thetub.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ROBERT E. L. JOHNSTON.

Witnesses:

A. J. OBRIEN, DENA NELSON.

